NHS failing to recover millions from overseas patients

MPs are warning that the system for recovering money from overseas patients who use the NHS is "chaotic" and costing millions.

In a report, MPs from the Commons Public Accounts Committee said they were "not confident" the Department of Health is taking effective action to recover money from people who leave the NHS with unpaid bills after treatment.

It said the NHS was failing to identify patients who should be charged, while the Government was also failing to get money back from European countries where reciprocal agreements are in place.

In 2014/15, the UK recovered only £50 million from these countries but paid out £675 million.

In evidence to PAC, the Department of Health admitted that "very little happened" for more than 30 years after legislation was first introduced to recover money from overseas patients in 1982.

In December, Freedom of Information responses from 104 trusts obtained by the Press Association revealed overseas patients have left the NHS with an unpaid bill of almost £30 million in just one year.

"Financial incentives" to do more to recover costs are now being given to NHS hospitals.

The committee also calls on GPs to do more to help identify those patients who should be charged for NHS care following a referral to hospital.

The Department of Health must now draw up an action plan bu June on how more money can be recovered.

PAC Chairwoman and Labour MP Meg Hillier said the government's failure to "get a grip" on recovering the money is depriving the NHS of "vital funds".

"Our committee has reported extensively on the financial pressures facing the health service and it is simply unacceptable that so much money owed should continue to go uncollected."

"This is a problem for the health service as a whole and work to put it right must be driven by central government", she added.

The Government currently has a target to recover up to £500 million a year by 2017/18 from all overseas patients, though it is widely expected to miss this.

In a statement the department said some hospitals were already "doing great work" at recovering money and "the amount of income identified has more than trebled in three years, to £289 million".

It added: "However, there is more to be done to make sure that if people are not eligible for free care, they pay for it.

"We will be announcing further steps very shortly to recover up to £500 million a year by the middle of this Parliament."